Law firm hiring partners/recruiters, why are any of you working with UK based recruiting firms? I have worked with several good recruiters in my day and know many professionally or personally so I don’t subscribe to the “all recruiters suck” mantra. I, like every other attorney, have also had my phone and inbox inundated with recruiting spam. But none has ever been more disingenuous, completely uninformed or downright unprofessional as the UK firms (calling 3-4 times a day from a blocked number, lying about a fictional opportunity to get your personal contact information, having a phone conversation and promising follow up only to ghost and then send a new blind solicitation a month later, spamming firms with your resume when you have not even agreed to apply anywhere yet). They also never seem to be actually familiar with market or even their own client half the time. I just don’t get it.
People like the accent ;) Seriously though, the answer is that while many hiring partners and lateral recruiting managers like to work with recruiters and recruiting firms in a collaborative/relationship building manner, some firms work completely transactionally and only care about the one specific candidate that is in front of them at the moment. And they'll work with literally anyone. That's the truth of it and those UK "recruiters" know it.
Thank you for posting this. I had some very frustrating experiences with UK recruiters when working on the law firm lateral recruiting side, including a UK recruiter who called a hiring partner following an interview and made threats that derailed the candidate's search. We also had a UK recruiter lie about a candidate's competing offer to try to pressure us into offering a signing bonus.
I've been shocked by how aggressively they have targeted the Houston market in 2024, especially with junior associates. They are selling "unposted" jobs when they don't even have a fee agreement with some of my law firm clients.
OMG SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS — YES!!!!! These are basically AI bots people. Please please please vet your recruiters!!! Personal references, reputable companies, someone who really knows your market and practice.
I noticed this also when I was an associate. In my experience, local recruiters in your city (or at minimum your state) are usually the best recruiters with the best local market knowledge.
It's so strange. As if there aren't more than enough qualified US-based legal recruiters!
Perplexing
VP & Managing Director @ Advanced Dynamics | Talent Acquisition | Recruiting | Social Media Marketing
3dLeslie Mahre just like within the legal profession or any other for that matter, many levels of players exist, from hacks to ultra-professional recruiters who can make a massive positive impact on your firm. One thing is certain when you work with a true professional recruiter, you will know instantly. Happy to the person who changes your mind :)